Boxing control board and Kandjii on each other’s throats

07/06/2018
by Kelvin Chiringa Sports

The Namibia Professional Boxing and Wrestling Control Board and National Council member, Ambrosius Kandjii, are at each other’s throats following the suspension of former employees of NPBWCB, Eckard Modise and Joe Kaperu.

The board has been irked by Kandjii’s utterances in the National Council where he is alleged to have said that it had “fired” the duo without a hearing based on tribalism.

At a press conference held yesterday in the capital, board member Ronald Kurtz indicated that Kaperu had in fact been suspended pending an investigation on allegations of misconduct and was charged with fraud.

It has accused him of peddling untruths at a national platform saying that he seems to have a specific interest in this matter for reasons only known to himself.

The board also took issue with Kandjii’s words that “One of the board members allegedly said he is Tswana and he would never come back again.”

It also alleged that he called on the line minister to carry out an investigation while he indicated in the council that he was informed that the minister instructed the board to reinstate Kaperu and Modise.

“A hearing was held and he (Kaperu) was found guilty and subsequently dismissed upon recommendation of a completely independent disciplinary panel. He appealed the decision, which appeal was dismissed,” he said.

He also indicated that Modise was charged with dishonesty involving embezzlement of funds and was given a hearing and found guilty and dismissed: “As a matter of fact the Board laid criminal charges against him,” he added.

Kurtz also pointed out that Modise did not appeal his sanctions.

“For the record Mr. Modise also referred a separate matter to the office of the Labour Commissioner, which is not in relation to his dismissal if he deemed his dismissal unfair,” he said.

Kandjii, the board said, was deliberately abusing the freedom of speech and that he should have engaged them to familiarise himself with facts since he has interest in the matters of Kaperu and Modise.

Kurtz took a swipe at Kandjii for making such utterances when he himself is part of the previous board which is under ACC investigations and has serious allegations he has to answer to.

“The tactics that he is now trying to deploy and calling the board rogue and that it must be investigated and dismissed is unfortunate," he said.

Kandjii is said to have said the board had also rejected some ministerial directive.

“The minister said we should do this, we said what is the (legal) basis upon which we are supposed to do that. We are on the same page. The minister has not come back to us as yet,” said Kurtz.

“In conclusion, the board certainly rejects the utterances by Honourable Kandjii having no basis at all and is a deliberate attempt not only to mislead the lawmakers but also the larger public,” said Kurtz.